August is National Water Quality Month. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and water utilities all play powerful roles in making sure the water that flows from our tap is safe day after day and year after year.

Through the SDWA, EPA sets various standards that water utilities throughout the country MUST meet.

The SDWA also requires EPA to identify contaminants that need to be regulated in drinking water and set limits for those contaminants. Water utilities are then required to monitor for them for our water's safety.

So that’s how our water quality is protected, but how can we, as consumers, understand our local water?

The SDWA requires water utilities to provide their customers with a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) each year. A CCR is a report on local tap water quality and details what contaminants, if any, are detected and at what levels they are at. Customers receive their CCR by July 1 each year.

A CCR is a great way to educate yourself on your local water quality. Contacting your local water utility is also a great way to understand your tap water, especially if you have questions or concerns about it.

Learn more about water quality on DrinkTap's Your Local Water webpage and the What's In My Water? section.